Piers Morgan Uncensored - Dennis Quaid: On Hollywood, Trump, Reagan & Baby Reindeer

Episode Date: May 28, 2024

Dennis Quaid is one of the most famous and prolific actors in the world.  He’s starred in more than 70 movies.  His latest is a biopic called “Reagan”, charting the great former president’s journey from childhood to the White House via Hollywood.  He’s a big star with even bigger opinions on the state of the world today.  And he joins me in the studio now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, Dennis Quaid is one of the most famous and prolific actors in the world. He's a big star with big opinions of the state of the world today. You watched the Baby Reindeer series. Right. And you watch my interview with the real life Martha. The show itself, it really is a phenomenon. I believed her. Did you?

Yeah. Completely. I'm so happy Demi Moore's back because I think she's a proper movie star. Yeah. Demi Moore is so amazing. This is her third act. Who did you think of when you were? I'm not going to give you that one.

I play every Hollywood asshole producer, TV executive that you've ever met. What do you think of Trump? I think I'm going to vote for him. I see a weaponization of our justice system. People might call him an asshole, but he's my asshole. You start with Alec Baldwin and Great Balls of Fire. Right. He's now facing this trial.

He's been adamant. Look, whatever happened, it wasn't my responsibility. You know, the way he responded to it may not have been the best. He says he never pulled the truth. That's the only way a gun goes off is that you pull the trigger. Well, Dennis Quaid is one of the most famous and prolific actors in the world. He's started more than 70 movies. His latest is a biopic called Reagan,

charting the great former president's journey from childhood to the White House fire Hollywood. He's a big star with big opinions of the state of the world today, and he joins me in the uncensored studio. Dennis, I've never interviewed you. I know. This is a massive blip in my career. Probably not as big a blip for you, but it is for me. No, and I've, I looked forward to this, actually, over the last few days.

Really? Yes, I watch your show. You know, I watch your interviews. They're always very interesting. Well, you were mentioning before we started, that you watched the baby reindeer series. Right. And you watched my interview with the real-life Martha. What did you make of it?

Well, I thought if she could stand up to you, then there was actually something to that, actually. And, no, I thought she, I thought she, uh, comported herself really, well with you and I believed her. Did you? Yeah. Completely. Well, I don't know about completely. I'm not sure if it was two or three times, it seems. But as far as they're not able to find any kind of police record with her. That's the thing that I keep coming back to. The denouement, as you know to the series, is she admits everything in court and gets convicted and put in prison for eight months. There's no record of this ever happening. Yeah. And you would think by now that's public information if you're convicted in this country, right?

If you're arrested, it's not. And I was also wondering about the guy who raped him, who was in show business as a writer and brought him back into his good braces. That guy. We still don't know who this is. It seemed like he'd be just as easy to find. Right. I think people do know him in the business.

They know who it is. And I think there could be an NDA. Yeah. She never had a chance to have a non-disclosure agreement or any kind of agreement. She wasn't even told the series was coming up. Yeah. And yet people were able to identify her within seconds because they literally used chunks of her tweets in the series.

So all people did was put them into Twitter and up she came. But I mean, the show itself, it really is a phenomenon. It's fascinating. And what it's about it's so well done, so well written. And in the end, it's about two broken people, I guess. Yes, it is. Two quite damaged people, I think. And the truth gets muddied when people are damaged.

Life is about its money. Well, you've been very, I know, life is muddy, right? Right, and you've been very open yourself about problems you've had in your life. Things can get complex, right? Yeah, yes, they can. And, you know, we, we, or I'll like, looking for grace in our life. That's for sure.

What are you looking for? When you get to your age, but you don't look anything like your actual age, by the way, so congratulations. Well, I feel good about that. But I'm really happy and probably the happiest I've been in my life. We should be, because you don't know what I say,

you just turned 70. Yeah. You are 11 years older than me, but you look about 10 years younger. That's going to make any man happy. But no, I'm at the happiest part of my life, of my career and, you know, I'm very much in love with my wife, have just the greatest relationship of my life, which, you know, I don't know why it came so late, but it did. And just enjoying my kids and enjoying, I don't get as, age does make you not take on as much stress,

or at least that stress, you don't take it on for as long. What have you learned about yourself through the journey, as people put it? Just to relax and enjoy life and you've got to enjoy the ride. We're not here for long. And all the things that in my, I'm not trying to get anywhere anymore and, or be anything, you know, as far as career-wise goes. And it's, that's, that's, That's a lot easier.

I can do the things that I enjoy and enjoy it just for the sake of doing it. What makes you happiest? I can paint an idyllic day for you, right? Tomorrow you can have your idyllic day. Wake up next to Laura and the kids go to school and I go play golf. What's your handicap? I'm an eight right now. I'm a jealous 16.

Well, I was a scratch before the twins were born. Really? destroyed that. So you play golf? Yes. Only once a day, though. But other than that, I was watching your fascinating chat with Jordan Peterson,

who's a good friend of mine. And it's a really interesting exchanges about the nature of movie stardom these days. And you kind of concluded there's probably only one genuine, bona fide in movie star out there, Leo de Caprio. I mean, he mentioned... He had been the last real movie star. Yeah, I mean, Jordan mentioned...

Jordan mentioned Tom Cruise. I would categorize as still a big movie star. I mean, I thought bringing back Top Gun and making it a smash hit was an amazing movie star achievement. Yeah, and we were talking about the last real true movie star to come along. And I guess that would be Leonardo de Capri as far as I can think out. But Tom came along in the 80s. We all came along in the 80s.

That was back, you know, first in the 70s, it was like that was the decade of the director, I guess, Artur type of thing. Then it became in the 80s, the decade of the movie star. And then it became the studios or the producers and the agencies. But it's become so corporate. And along came streaming and social media. And that really social media more than anything is, I think, taken down the movie star.

Because movie stars are people that you think you know, or you feel you know, but you really don't know much about them. And you shouldn't know much about it. Yeah, that way you can imprint your feelings onto them. Because you talked about Jack Nicholson, who I often say, you know, he hasn't done a television interview in about 45 years. Right. He believes it kills the mystique of being a movie.

I can't remember him doing a television interview. In fact, he would have a movie come out, and he would even do that much press on that. He'd do, like, one interview, like in Playboy or in time or, you know, some prestigious magazine. Is that smart, do you think? Well, back then it was smart. Is it smart now?

I mean, is it the way to go over people? Decapreo doesn't know if anybody who... Decaprio, yeah, it's about the way he operates. Because he can. Yeah, that's my point, really. But can you preserve your own self-fulfilling mystique if you don't open yourself up? Daniel Day Lewis, another one who barely does any.

Barely does any. But everybody knows when he comes out. And it's mysterious. I think it's a good thing. Who's the greatest actor you've ever seen? Actor. Actor? I love Alec Genneth.

I love Marlon Brando. My first movie said I was on set, I drove my brother's car up to Montana for the Missouri brakes it was on and so I'm watching Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson at work. That was something I got to teach Marlon how to play the mandolin.

Really? Yeah, I didn't know how to play the mandolin. But they asked, does anybody here know how to play the mandolin? And I said, oh, sure. I play guitar. So I wouldn't got a book of chords, so he'd learn three chords, and then he wouldn't have Bartlett's trailer inside of the three chords. How did he react to your tuition?

Very well. He was a very good student. What makes a great actor? I interviewed Dennis Hopper once, and he told me a great story about James Dean, who was only in his 20s himself, and Hopper was, like, 19 when he was when he was. work with him on one of Dean's great films.

And he said, there was a scene where Hopper was trying to do a scene, we had to drink a cup of coffee. And he kept getting it wrong, because he was nervous being with James Dean. And eventually Dean said, do you mind me just give me a moment? He said, Mr. Hopper, he said, I love to respect. Mr. Hopper, do you mind if I give you some advice? He went, no, please, I'm desperate for advice. He said, you're trying to act drinking a cup of coffee.

Just drink the coffee. Yeah. I thought that was the best crystallization of genuinely great acting is where actually you're not acting. You're just... Yeah, I think Harrison Ford said that, you know, he learned early on just be in the frame.

Right. And Jack Lemon said it best. He said, great acting is that if you can... If you can tell the truth, be completely sincere with what you're trying to convey. And if you can fake that, then you've really got something.

I love... Listen, I've loved so many. of your films, which one of you love most? Me, my favorite movie is the right stuff. Because it was like a boyhood thing with me, with the astronauts, the original seven, and I wound up, I read the book when that came out before the movie was out, and I wanted to play Gordo Cooper.

He was my hero. And then I couldn't believe I got the part. And then it wound up that Gordo Cooper lived three miles from me in LA. We became friends. Then he turned me up. on to a flight school and I got my pilot's license from that while we were making the movie, which you weren't supposed to do. And Chuck Yeager was on the set every day and it took nine months to shoot. And that's, see, that's how I, as far as my favorites, that's how it's the experience

I had making them, not the actual movie. Yeah. Yeah, even though that's a great movie. You now play Reagan, who I often say, people. I think in my lifetime, Reagan was the best president because he managed to be true to his conservative values, but he managed to cross the aisle, I think, better than anybody else. He was really an American first, I was felt, rather than a Republican politician. And he was a Democrat before he became a Republican. And he was my favorite president as well. I had voted for Jimmy Carter, in fact, four years before. And with, and this time, and the times are very much like they are now, in fact.

And I voted for Reagan and went home, and my roommate, who was, you know, an ex-hippy, said, who'd you vote for? And I said, Reagan, and he said, you are kicked out of the hippies. That was that. So, but, uh, was that a blow or not? Well, I just laugh. I just laugh. Reagan, uh, Reagan, uh, he governed on principles.

That was what guided him rather than just the politics of the day or whatever. And those principles have nothing to do with a political party. And I think that's what made him so successful as a leader. He also, I mean, I get a lot of Reagan speech or joke TikToks on my feed or reels, right? Which means I must look at them a lot. So the algorithm keeps sending them to me. And the more I watch, the more I like it, because he had an inherent word. warmth about him. He could tell a great joke. He always led with a joke.

Which may be from the acting that he obviously, the acting experience. And his father. And his father, yeah. But he just has a warmth about him, which I really think is really important for any leader to have that degree of warmth. I agree. You know, he was a people person and he was genuine. And, you know, he was a great leader too because, you know, he just did go. He could, he led. It didn't matter even if he was in the minority. He wasn't afraid to lead in that sense. But he was a very warm person. There was also something very private about Reagan, although he was known as the great communicator. There was a place there that in my research to play him, people who knew him, said there was a very private part that you could never get past. Really?

Yeah. And what works there, do you think? Nancy probably came the closest, but even she said there's a private part that just, there was something from, because he was the great communicator, I think he needed to be in that place. And I think that was his relationship with God.

Right. Which was very sincere. Yeah. And you yourself, I wouldn't say, converted, but you became much more religious after you went through difficult times in your life. Let's say about my life, I've always been a seeker. Actually, you know, I was raised in the Baptist Church and then in high school, as, you know, many of us do back then, you know, become kind of, you start to see the hypocrisy around you of

churchy annity, let's say. And, you know, I started studying other religions. I read Siddhartha and that led me into Eastern philosophy. So I wrote the Dama Pada, I read the Bhagavā, Gita, I read the Koran, going around the world, asking everybody who's God to you. And finally, after that, and then after going through the God of Cocaine and all of that, that era of my life, you know, came back to the red words of Jesus, actually, in rereading the Bible again, that brought me back.

Why do you think? Well, it finally, after I'd read the Bible, then I read all the other books, and they're very much really the same, but then reading the Bible again, and like I said, the red words of Jesus are the things that Jesus said. And that led me to a personal relationship with God. And that's really in the end what it's all about. And it brings you what? It brings you, it brings you peace.

It brings you, you don't have to know everything, the answer to everything. You know, it's like, you know, it doesn't solve all your problems or anything, but it brings, you have more compassion for yourself, more compassion for others. You know, and the whole thing about being a sinner, you know, it's not, it's like what I didn't like about churchy andity is like it was like we were in some kind of like Boy Scout school or something. You know, that's really not what it's about. You know, sin to me is when you're really not being true to yourself. Right. You know, your own true nature, which is seeking, which is seeking God. I think all of us deep down are seeking him.

We all want to know where we come from. Do you have a dash of sin still about you? Of course they do. Now a saintly individual. I, you know, we're never going to, I'm never going to get away from that. Just look at me, smile sometimes, I guess, you know, but it's, you know, it's very important to me in my life. And it's really, you brought me great peace. It's about enjoying life too.

You seem very chilled, actually. Well... Obviously, lots of actors. A lot of them can be quite, when they get to the point to doing an interview, they're quite kind of twitchy. They're kind of out of their comfort zone. They're having to talk about themselves rather than being somebody else.

Especially with you because you're going to go digging, aren't you? Yeah. I'm always curious. I'm always curious, but you're very chilled. I'm okay. I mean, it's like, you know, I am what I am. And like I said, I'm really not trying to get anywhere or anything.

I mean, good things are happening. And I have more fire in my belly now for acting than I did when I was in my 20s and 30s. Because I enjoy it. Show a clip from the Cannes Film Festival, where your new movie, you're with Demi Moore and this movie. And he got a 13-minute ovation that moved all of you to tears, actually. Let's take a look. And it's called The Substance and got an amazing response. Yeah, Corley Fajet and French director.

who is, I say that she's kind of a cross between Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock. Really? Yeah. And Sam Peck and Paul, those three things. That's an amazing combination. I mean, the premise really is it transforms people, the substance, into a better, younger version of themselves.

Yes. Would you like to have had that for real? What I have liked to have had that for real. I think maybe for a day or two, yeah, every once in a while. But it's a wonderful, wonderful movie. Demi Moore is so amazing. This is her third act. This is going to be her third act.

Yeah, I interviewed it a few years ago. It's transforming. And Margaret is just incredible. I'm so happy Demi Moore's back, because I think she's a proper movie star. Yeah. You know, in G.I. Jane, the most kind of movies. I thought Officer and a gentleman. Not Officer and Gentleman.

The other one she was in. G.I. Jane. Strip tease. Jeeze. I just thought she had so many great films. And then she sort of went away a bit. And to see her get that kind of ovation, to see how much it meant to her. It was very special, actually.

This was her first movie that's ever been to Cannes, in fact. And I was really happy for her. It's going to be a third act. I play it like... You were a... sleazy TV. I play every Hollywood asshole producer, TV executive that you've ever met. And, you know, that's who I brought up inside myself when I played them. And I'll, who did you think of when you were. I'm not going to give me that one here. Sorry.

I need names, Clay. I might be working for them next week. You never know. So I'm not going to do that. It was so much fun to pace. But you were quite moved, though. He's such a pig, this guy that I play. Yeah. It was just a blast. Who's no better? Yeah.

But you were very moved there by that reaction. I was. What were you thinking when you were getting emotional then? I was looking at Jimmy, you know, and like I say, she has been kind of away from the scene in the film world for a while. And, you know, I've known her since the 80s, you know, since pretty much the beginning. You know, she was the next set after my generation. And it was just really good to see... It was second chances.

I did a movie, you know, The Rookie. Yeah, I love that, about baseball. I watched it the other day. That movie was, you know, that movie was about second chances, and it really kind of... Yes. It actually was kind of reflected my own life then, and because that movie gave me kind of another act

after that, a second act. And so I love, I was just reveling and being there watching that happen to her. I interviewed Mickey Rourke in the wilderness years before he came back with the wrestling. He was out of the game for like 10 years. And I said, what was it like that? And he said, well, you know, Hollywood's great when you're doing well. When you're doing well, you get the best table in every restaurant. Everyone wants to be part of you.

He said, when you're perceived to not be doing well, it's like you have a stench of death that can be contagious. People don't actually want to be around you in case they catch it. And it was a brilliant description. Yeah, it's true. I've been lived in L.A. on and off for like 20 years. There is that. When you're riding high, it's great. They all want to be around you.

And when you're not, it's like you've got a virus. I call it Hollywood jail. Do you? Yeah. You have to go to Hollywood jail for a couple of years. I mean, that happened to me after, you know, I got sober from cocaine. I call that going to cocaine school is what I call that. And, you know, but when I thought that, I thought that.

I said, no, I got myself all cleaned up, and now I'm going to be, you know, things are going to get better. Well, they don't. They really don't. It was kind of it took me, you know, about five or six years, really, to. And how did that feel, Hollywood Joe? It doesn't feel good at all. It, it really doesn't. You know, you feel, you feel down on yourself is what you, you let yourself down, is what it feels. And it's very humbling. That's what it is. very humbling. And it's probably a good thing to go through. Right. And, you know, the media or Hollywood, they, itself, they love to build you up.

And then they love that part where you go to Hollywood jail because then you can have another story. Did you hope it came a bit earlier that you got out earlier? Yeah, right. When you did the rookie and had your comeback, was it more fun second time, right? Oh, yeah, it was really important. Because something you got taken away from you and then you get it back. You could really enjoy it. Yeah.

That's why. What does you miss most about being a Hollywood superstar? And then when you're in the jail, what did you miss most? I just liked working, you know? I like, it's, I just love to work. I mean, you know, I think I had remorse. about my own behavior more than anything else, you know. Because what I was doing movies, I was on blow.

And, you know, it was just basically operating on two or three nights, two or three hours of sleep. Really? A night, yeah. And then, you know, about four o'clock in the afternoon, kind of go, well, it wasn't so bad, you know, and then I'd be right back on this, you know, the same hamster wheel. And, you know, that I'd like to say, you know,

it didn't affect my performances and stuff like that, Yeah, but it did. It did. How could it not, you know, when you're not operating at 100% of your capacity? Do you drink that? Yeah, I still, I, for 10 years, I just shut up and I did what they told me to do. I didn't drink. I didn't do anything.

And, you know, alcohol was really not the problem for me. I never was. It's about not being able to put it down or put it down. it away or leave until it's all gone there. You know, it's an obsession of the mind. And alcohol was just never that. And so, yeah, I drink, but it's, I... Did you have friends that died from drugs?

Yeah. Yeah. People we would know? Well, no one that, you know, they're like famous, famous, but, you know, it all started with John Belushi. Yeah. Died. Cocaine before that was, it was a People magazine, you know, the doctors saying that it wasn't addictive at all.

And, you know, it was a party thing or whatever. And it was all fine and dandy until, in fact, it was in the budget of movies. Was it really? Yeah, yeah. Actually in the budget. You know, all that funny money set aside. and, you know, you go to meetings, and executives would have it on their desk.

And it was, you know, it was just the thing. There was no shame to it. Yeah, there was, yeah. And then, in fact, it was, you were cool. And with John Volusci died, that changed everything, or at least that's when it started to change. Do you ever miss it?

No, not a bit, in fact. I spent after, I got sober for it, you know, I spent about four years trying to gnashing my teeth because that urge was still there and it was really it was a hole that you have to fill with something and

you know that's the time when I went back to being a seeker again to fill that hole because that's what we're looking for what are we looking for to fill that hole most people in Hollywood now looking for a filler for the whole called a Zenpick. I don't recognize a lot of people I see in L.A.

Friends of mine, never mind. And then famous people, non-famous people. It's like this epidemic now, a Zen pic. What do you make of the craze? I withhold judgment on that. Let's see what happens been a couple of years. Right. Because I think, from what I've heard, it really does help quite a few people.

It kills your appetite, though. Well, there's, you know, people are, getting overweight and then you get into diabetes and you get into a lot of other issues that come up with obesity or weight issues and mental issues that come up with it too that's just self-image of yourself and that along with plastic surgery and everything else or whatever somebody feels that they need it's about their own self-esteem and self-image and certainly we've seen cases of it like going too far with, you know, when it starts becoming a party drug

and people, you know, are starting, people start going to jail for driving while in Osama Zemps, that I think maybe we have to work. Because they're so emaciated, they can't actually reach the brake pedal. Yeah.

That'll be what happens, right? It'll be the first of Zemping death. Probably in one of those driverless Teslers, which are coming. It'll be like the... Oh, it's coming, all right. Yeah, I actually, when I was in L.A. last time, I drove in a driverless cap.

Oh, really? One picked you up? Yeah. And I'll use it a few times. And actually, first time I had a couple of drinks to soften the blow. I thought this was going to freak me out. Actually, by the end, it was only around Beverly Hills, but it was perfectly normal. Sometimes I'd feel better than with some of the Uber drivers. Exactly. Exactly. And apparently, you have a six times better chance of not being killed.

Yeah, I wouldn't have to listen to their music. It would be really nice. When you play a part like where you, you know, It's an iconic role, right? It's one of the only 46 people to ever be president of the United States. And Reagan in particular always comes in the top five most popular presidents over.

How do you even start to prepare for that? How freaky a challenge is it? That's a good question because it, like I said, he was my favorite president, and I didn't want to do an impersonation. In fact, I turned down, I didn't say no, but I didn't, it took a long time to take the role because I was overwhelmed by it.

It really sent the fear down my spine, which is an indication that I should probably do that because it gets me out of my comfort zone. But it took me a while because I guess I idolized him a bit, you know, and I did want to bring that into it because I think we do tell the story, warts and all, in a certain sense, you know. certainly wasn't a perfect human being. But it's, you know, everybody in the world pretty much knows who he is. It's like playing Muhammad Ali in a way. And so to go about doing it, for one thing, I lived through it. And the other thing, then I was into YouTube is so good for that kind of thing. because you can get everything there from the videotape.

So used to study old tapes? Yeah, I just went from the outside end with that. And then I read several books on him. Like, Reagan had, you know, he kind of had a kind of a crooked grin. And there was, what that was, those nerves were dead there. So that has something to do with what's on the inside of a person. And I'd like to, the way they walk. the way, you know, the way they groom themselves,

all of that says something about the inside of a person. He had a kind of natural authority, I always felt, Reagan. Yeah. You know, he was someone who didn't struggle with the role of being the most powerful man in the world. He just had a sort of ease with being an authority, I always felt. Yeah, I think he learned that in Hollywood, you know, for being an actor.

You know, it's because they would groom their actors in the studio back then about the way you walk, the way you hold a cigarette, the way you, you know. you know. Maybe the confidence. Yeah, the confident air. And, you know, he himself has admitted that acting really helped him. Yeah.

Especially in the negotiation with the Russians. Right. Like Star Wars. Right. For instance. Which was all a total scam. It was a total scam. It was like, we didn't have anything like that.

You know, the movie came out, what, 76, I believe it was. And, you know, it was laser beams going, you know, destroying things, missiles or whatever. we didn't have any of that, and Reagan said we did. But he was able to convince the Russia. He convinced them at least 90% that we did have it. And then I've even offered, even doubled down, it said, we'll share it with you. And they still wouldn't go for it. But it did cause them to, and they had already been doing that,

military spending, went through the roof of the Soviet Union, And Reagan's... 30 billion U.S. dollars of course. His strategy all along was to outspend them and bankrupt them. Right. And that's really what brought the Soviet Union down. Along with the Pope and elect Valencia, of course, too. Right. Yeah.

When you look at what's happening now with the resurgence of Russia, as many people see it, in an axis with China, with Iran, are you worried as an American about where this is all going? Of course I am. I am. I think the world is very, very dangerous place right now. And could get set off and a misunderstanding occur. And there's hardly any time to think a minute about it.

And I'm really concerned. What's going on in the Middle East? What's, you know, even on our own borders here. people don't seem as informed as a general rule as back 30, 40 years ago. Well, then they're getting selective information. Yes, from the social media. And from the algorithm they build up from TikTok with the short portions of news, often slanted a certain way.

Yeah, and they're getting, we're getting, you know, think our own point of view, our own beliefs are getting coughed back at us. I'm not sure sure how good that is. And then that's also reflected in our government. We really need to remind ourselves as a better nature of our own angels and learn to work together and disagree, but have a civil conversation about it. That 30, 40 years ago, we had liberal Republicans,

We had conservative Democrats, and there was much more across the aisle. You voted for both sides. Yeah, Reagan and Tip O'Neill. They would get together a couple of times a week at 5 o'clock over at the White House and talk it over. And they, I mean, they, and then they were, you know, bitter enemies during work hours, but they worked it out. What do you think of Trump? I myself, I think, I'm, I think I'm going to vote for him.

Really? Yeah, in the next election. Yes, I am. Are you ready for the blowback? Well, yeah. If it negatively comes to Trump. Well, you know, I think this election, everybody's got to, I think they're going to take a side or whatever. But it's, it just seems to me, it just makes sense.

I was ready not to vote for Trump until what I saw is. More than politics, I see a weaponization of our justice system and a challenge to our Constitution, us as Americans that I don't think we're going to have. And, you know, Trump is the most investigated person probably in the history of the world, and they haven't been able to really get him on anything. And this whole Stormy Daniels thing to me is so kind of pathetic.

I mean, whatever happens, We sit here now that we're going to find out in a few days whether he's guilty or not guilty. I don't think it matters. It doesn't. If anything, if he's found guilty, it won't be helping more. Even the way you just said it made it seem like that trial are guilty or not guilty is about Stormy Daniels, which it's not. And in fact, what is the crime? I still can't figure it out.

Well, they did. Well, they did. Well, they did. Neither can they. Because they have it. Exactly. They took a misdemeanor that had run out of its time and, you know, turn it somehow trying to turn it into a felony.

And, but they won't even say what that is. Do you have to like Trump to vote for him? No. Do you like him personally? Well, look, you know, I was in the last, it is in the last campaign and in 16 and, you know, and in 20, I found myself going, oh, please don't do that. Please don't say that. You know, it's like these things have come out of us.

But as president, the only thing I liked about Trump was everything he did. Right. You know, what he did with Korea, with Rocket Baby, the way he defeated ISIS in three weeks. You know, people didn't even remember it. It happened so fast. How he stood up for us overseas. and China. And the way he responded to China,

he stands up to people, and that's what makes him a leader rather than what I kind of compare to what was going on in Jimmy Carter's administration, where we're trying to be everybody's friend and pal. And there's some evil people and bad actors in this world. And so, you know, people might call him an asshole, but he's my asshole. Right. No, I get that.

Because he's, I'll tell you one true thing about him is that I really feel that he is working for the American people. That's what he's all about. And I do believe that to be true and sincere. And is Biden simply too old? Is that the biggest problem for him? I don't feel he's at the helm. Right. I don't feel he's there. And I don't, I feel that he says things to get votes,

not that he truly believes in them. And now I'm really going to get some blowback. But that's the way I feel. And at the same time, to everybody who is going to vote for Biden, I mean, I hope we can all learn to have a conversation about where we are as Americans that we all live in the same country. And it doesn't have to be the end of the world, whoever is elected. Yeah, because when I was young, and first I'd go into my local pub, we would all have huge arguments after a few pints. But the idea we'd fall out with each other over it, never crossed our minds.

Right. We would just argue about what was in the news, you know, and then we'd have a few more pints, and we go home and we'd shake each other and give each other hug. That ability to respect someone's opinion, even when you don't agree with them, this seems to have disappeared from this generation. It's like you either agree with me or I have to not just ostracize you. I have to destroy you. You must be canceled. That seemed to me to start back kind of in the 90s. You know, Reagan was called a war monger, by the way, by the Democrats already voted for him.

And, you know, some of the people still, you know, there's this animosity there, but really started in the 90s politically with the Republicans going after the Clintons, going after Clinton, especially in 1996, even before the Monica Lewinsky thing when the pledge came in. And I do believe he was treated a bit unfairly, and that seemed just for politics. But that back and forth just became worse and worse and worse and more of a divide. And I guess everybody had to get their way. And remember the government was shutting down like every other week during the Clinton administration, you know, by that. And it just seemed to have gotten worse. I wanted to ask you, before I let you go, you start with Alec Baldwin and Great Balls of Fire.

Right. He's now facing this trial coming up over the shooting incident, obviously where the young female cinematographer Helena Hutchins died. He's been adamant. Look, whatever happened, it wasn't my responsibility. You've been on a lot of movie sets.

Do you have sympathy with that? Or ultimately, I've seen other actors say, actually, if you're ever around firearms, the first thing you do is always test it before you pointed at somebody. Thank you. You know, I could put myself in Alex's shoes.

Now, the way he responded to it may not have been the best. I don't think I would have gone on television and say that. But, you know, I've been working with guns and movies since, like, the 70s. And, you know, sometimes it's been very dangerous, actually.

And to have one go off and have it be a real bullet, it's... Would you ever have pointed at somebody without testing it? Well... Because I've seen that to say they would never do that. Well, there was one in the chamber. He was given it. There was one in the chamber so that he could... This is what I understand,

so that he could point it pretty much at the camera and fire at it. So I wouldn't fire at the... camera I wouldn't test it because what's the need to test it the the blank is going to go off so you would trust the armor in that situation you are I always have when they give me bullets to put in there I put them in there myself and I have them and the way have it now that they're the color-coded and all that and I do check all that before I go but as far as you know he didn't point that In the scene he was doing, he was supposed to bring the gun up and fire, you know, towards the camera. And they, of course, the cameraman and the director were right behind there.

He says he never pulled the trigger. Do you believe that? Well, you have to pull the trigger. You have to, they have to, they can't be true. I mean, that's the only way a gun goes off is that you pull the trigger. They don't just go off. But it's Was the were they

Were they actually filming? Or was he just played around? I think that he was supposed to pull the trigger Because it's in the scene that, yeah, that's what I think. Right. Otherwise, why are you going to put a, you shouldn't even put a blank in that gun if you're not going to pull the trigger

because that's what it's for. There's paper and stuff that comes out of, the end of those guns that didn't actually hurt you, hitting you in the eye or whatever. And so I don't know. I, that's a tough one. It really is a tough one. And I, in a way, I really have a lot of compassion for him

because I know how that's where that has him, you know, and underneath. And, but, you know, we've got to be a lot more careful about it. It's been a fascinating conversation. Thank you so much for being so warm. Same here. You know why? Because you're just very open.

And a lot of people these days, especially actually actors, get very introvert and worried about saying things in case. I used to be like that. I actually very much used to be about that. And it was really, really. my faith and that personal relationship, but I do have with God, with Jesus Christ, that as let me relax that, who cares? You know what I mean? It's important to be, so you can open up and tell people your story and your mistakes and what they are, so we can find a way to grace.

There's a power in just saying what you really think. I think. Even if certain people aren't going to like it, whatever you say. Yeah. So you may as well just be true to yourself, right? Exactly. Be authentic. Yeah.

I think you're very authentic. Thank you very much. That's quite a compliment. I appreciate that. It's been a great pleasure. Long overdue. All right. Let's do it again.

Yeah, we'll do part two next time. A round of golf next time. Yeah, exactly. We'll do it over a round of golf. All right. All right, Sunnydale. Great to see. Yeah, sunny down.

Great to see you. You too.